Runners and walkers of all ages and levels are invited to join in the fun for the 20th annual David Lerner Associates Long Island Police Appreciation Run, to be held on Thursday evening, June 9 at Eisenhower Park.
The proceeds will once again be turned over to the special Police Crisis Fund that has been established to aid Nassau and Suffolk County law enforcement officers and their families in time of emergency. In the 19 years of its existence, the fund has distributed more than $250,000 to local police officers and their families. Most recently, substantial distributions from the Fund were made to the families of Nassau County Police Department officers Michael Califano and Geoffrey Breitkopf, both of whom were so tragically killed earlier this year.
The key sponsor of the event will once again be David Lerner Associates, the Long Island-based Investment Securities firm that has been a firm supporter of the Run and of local law enforcement officers generally for the past two decades.
The entry fee for the Run is $20 for those who enter in advance ($17 for Greater Long Island Running Club members), and $25 for those who enter on the day of the Run. All high school youngsters who pre-register are entitled to take a 50 percent discount off their entry fee.
All entrants will receive special 20th anniversary commemorative giveaways. In the past we have given away rain jackets, big gym bags, baseball caps, coolers, etc. – and you can be sure that we will have something out-of-the-ordinary again in 2011!
Awards will be presented to the top three male runners and the top three female runners in each of 14 (five-year) age groups, ranging from 14 and under to 75 and over, as well as to the top wheelchair racers. Special awards will also be presented in the “Law Enforcement” Division to the top three open male, open female, masters (age 40 and over) male and masters female law enforcement officers to cross the finish line.
The top local finisher in the 2010 edition of the Run was 17-year-old Robert Wu of Westbury, who scored in 16th place overall with a time of 18 minutes, 50 seconds. But this event is most definitely not just for the speedy front runners! Everyone is welcome to walk or run at any pace, and last year’s last place finisher walked the course in 54:18, a pace of 17:29 minutes per mile.
The Greater Long Island Running Club’s own Ira Eskow will be donating his time and effort to serve as the Race Director once again. This is Ira’s 20th year as the director, and it will be his final year as he is moving to Florida, so he will actually be running in this year’s race (and wearing #1!).
The Greater Long Island Running Club is once again joining forces with the Downey family to provide special “Bravest/Finest” Awards to the Open and Masters Male and Female runners with the fastest combined times in our David Lerner Associates Police Appreciation 5K Run on June 9 and the Deputy Chief Raymond Downey “Forever Running” Memorial 5K Run on June 19. Join them to support our “Finest” and our “Bravest.”
Race organizers are hoping for the biggest ever turnout of local runners to show their appreciation for the police – and to provide much needed funding for the Police Crisis Fund. Runners have a special reason for saying thank you to our law enforcement officers. Without the enthusiastic support of County and local police departments, road-racing as we know it in Nassau and Suffolk Counties could simply not exist! But whether you are a runner or not, everyone owes a tremendous debt to the outstanding men and women who make up Long Island’s police forces. They truly are “Long Island’s Finest,” and GLIRC joins with the generous folks at David Lerner Associates in looking for a big outpouring of people from all over the New York Metropolitan area on June 9 to show them just how much they are appreciated.
Please join GLIRC on this special evening to say thank you to Long Island’s Finest and to run a fast, flat 5K in the friendly confines of Eisenhower Park. Entry forms can be obtained by calling the Greater Long Island Running Club office at 349-7646, or you can register online at www.glirc.org. Not running but want to be a part of this event as a volunteer? Call Mindy at 520-9481 or email her at mindyruns@aol.com.
